Question 1

Professor O'Malley is examining ways to help autistic children remain calm during class. He gives one group of autistic children a spinner that they can play with during class; the other group is given a small stuffed animal. In this study, type of toy is a(n) ________ variable.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Professor O'Malley is examining ways to help...

Question 2

Professor O'Malley is examining ways to help autistic children remain calm during class. He gives one group of autistic children a spinner that they can play with during class; the other group is given a small stuffed animal. He then measures attention during class. What is the dependent variable in this study?

Accepted Answer

The dependent variable in this study is the child's attention, as it is the outcome that is being measured and is expected to be influenced by the manipulation of the independent variable (type of toy). The type of toy (A) and how long the child plays with the toy (D) are both independent variables, while whether the child has autism (B) is not specified as a variable being manipulated or measured in this study.

Question 3

Professor Lockham has proposed a theory of work performance that holds that greater acceptance of assigned work goals leads to higher motivation and that higher motivation then leads to better work performance. In Professor Lockham's theory, motivation is a(n) ________ variable.

Accepted Answer

In Professor Lockham's theory, motivation is a mediating variable because it is believed to be the mechanism through which acceptance of assigned work goals leads to better work performance. Mediating variables explain how or why two variables are related. In this case, motivation is thought to be the "middleman" between goal acceptance and work performance, explaining the relationship between the two.

Question 4

Professor Dollard's theory proposes that frustration causes aggression. In his theory, frustration is a(n) ________ variable.

Accepted Answer

In Dollard's theory, frustration is seen as the independent variable because it causes a change in the dependent variable, which is aggression.

Question 5

Professor Shim wants to test the hypothesis that heterosexual men have more negative attitudes toward homosexuality than do heterosexual women. In this study, attitudes toward lesbians and gay men is a(n) ________ variable.

Accepted Answer

Attitudes toward lesbians and gay men are being measured to see if there is a difference based on the gender of the participants, making it the dependent variable in this study.

Question 6

The question "What might reduce or increase the direction of a relationship between X and Y?" is addressed by the use of

Accepted Answer

Moderating variables can either reduce or enhance the strength and/or direction of the relationship between X and Y, depending on their impact.

Question 7

Hypothetical constructs are

Accepted Answer

Hypothetical constructs are abstract concepts that scientists use to refer to variables that cannot be directly observed. They are theoretical constructs that are used to explain phenomena in a scientific way, and they are often the subject of empirical testing.

Question 8

Which of the following is a hypothetical construct?

Accepted Answer

The degree to which one person likes another is a hypothetical construct because it cannot be directly observed or measured. It is a subjective experience that is inferred from behavior and self-report. Choices A, B, and C are all concrete and measurable variables.

Question 9

Which of the following statements about hypothetical constructs is TRUE?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following statements about hypothetical...

Question 10

Operational definitions

Accepted Answer

Operational definitions are concrete representations of hypothetical constructs in research, giving specific instructions for how to measure and observe a particular variable. They allow researchers to assign specific meaning to a construct, making it more easily measurable and testable._choices = ["A"]

Question 11

Which of the following is an operational definition of anxiety?

Accepted Answer

An operational definition is one that is observable and measurable, so "increased heartrate" meets this criterion. "General feeling of uneasiness" is too subjective and could vary from person to person. "Fear of imminent death" is a specific experience rather than a measurable behavior or physiological response.

Question 12

Reification

Accepted Answer

Reification involves treating hypothetical constructs as concrete, observable entities. This is an erroneous way of thinking about these constructs and can lead to inappropriate use as explanations for behavior. Therefore, all the given choices (A, B, and C) are correct.

Question 13

Professor Jones proposes that there are three types of self-esteem-social, achievement-related, and global-all of which are moderately correlated with each other and each of which is related to a different set of dependent variables. Professor Jones views self-esteem as a ________ construct.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Professor Jones proposes that there are three...

Question 14

Professor Subedi proposes that there are two types of leadership-task-oriented and person-oriented-that are independent of each other, so that a person could be high on both types, low on both types, or high one type but low on the other. Professor Subedi views leadership as a ________ construct.

Accepted Answer

Professor Subedi's view of leadership as having two distinct types that are independent of each other indicates that leadership is a multidimensional construct.

Question 15

Professor Rodriguez develops a theory of introversion-extroversion that holds that introversion and extroversion are opposites ends of a continuum, so that a person who is high on one must be low on the other. Professor Rodriguez views introversion-extroversion as a ________ construct.

Accepted Answer

A unidimensional construct is one that is measured on a single dimension or continuum, whereas a multidimensional construct is one that is measured on multiple dimensions or factors. As Professor Rodriguez's theory views introversion-extroversion as a single continuum, it is a unidimensional construct.

Question 16

________ constructs are made up of two or more independent components; ________ constructs are considered to be correlated.

Accepted Answer

Multidimensional constructs refer to the different dimensions or factors that make up a single construct (e.g. emotional intelligence consists of emotional self-awareness, empathy, social skills, etc.) whereas multifaceted constructs refer to different facets or aspects of a construct that may or may not be correlated (e.g. job satisfaction may consist of facets such as pay, job security, coworker relationships, etc.). Therefore, the correct answer is C as it correctly identifies these two distinct types of constructs.

Question 17

Theoretical propositions are

Accepted Answer

Theoretical propositions are statements about relationships among hypothetical constructs, which are concepts or ideas that are not directly observable but are believed to influence behavior or other phenomena. These propositions are based on existing evidence and are subject to empirical testing to determine their validity. They serve as a framework for understanding and studying the subject matter of a particular field of science.

Question 18

When you conduct research that tests a theory, a proposition from the theory becomes a(n) ________ in your research.

Accepted Answer

A hypothesis is a testable statement that proposes a possible explanation for a phenomenon or a relationship between variables. In research, hypotheses are derived from theories, and they are tested through empirical observations and data analysis. Therefore, a proposition from a theory becomes a hypothesis in research. The other options are not accurate descriptions of this process. An independent variable is a manipulated variable that is hypothesized to affect a dependent variable. A unidimensional variable refers to a single construct or dimension of a concept, rather than multiple dimensions or facets. An operational definition specifies the procedures or criteria used to measure or manipulate a variable, but it does not necessarily involve testing a theory or hypothesis.

Question 19

Theories that are well-specified

Accepted Answer

A well-specified theory clearly defines the proposed relationships among constructs, which means that the theory is precise and unambiguous in stating how the different concepts or variables are related to one another. The other options are not necessarily true for well-specified theories. While some theories may attempt to explain all of human behavior (A), others focus only on specific aspects or phenomena. Similarly, theories may use hypothetical constructs instead of operational definitions (B), or they may be multifaceted (D), but these characteristics do not necessarily make a theory well-specified.

Question 20

Theories that are broad in scope

Accepted Answer

Theories that are broad in scope attempt to provide explanations for a wide range of human behaviors using a limited number of concepts.

Quiz 1: Behavioral Science